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Cowen, Laurence

Entry updated 10 August 2018. Tagged: Author.

(1865-1942) UK scriptwriter, playwright, film and theatre director and author born Laurence Cohen, who also wrote as by Lesser Columbus. His "Wake Up!": A Dream of To-morrow (3 January-26 February 1915 Daily Express; 1915) is a Near Future Invasion tale which avoids direct reference to World War One by giving the invading nation the imaginary name of Vaevictia; before its publication, a film version, "Wake Up!" (1914) directed by Cowen, was released, seemingly taken from Cowen's pre-existing text, likely in manuscript form. His second novel of interest, "It is for England!": A Romance of our own Times (1917; rev vt The Hidden Hand 1918), seems on the other hand to be a straight novelization of his script for "It is for England!" (1916) directed by Cowen. In the tale, a reincarnated Saint George exposes a bad baronet as a German spy, directly causing the end of the War, and the regicide of the Kaiser at the hands of his fellow Germans. [JC]

Laurence Cowen

born Hull, Yorkshire: 12 February 1865

died London: 7 October 1942

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